Since 2014, the five-year Partnership for Aquaculture Development in Timor-Leste project funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme, has been supporting rural households with quality fish seed to grow improved tilapia and giving training in better management practices.

“Tilapia aquaculture has the potential to boost national fish production, which will help reach our fish consumption target of 15 kg per person each year in 2030,” explains Horacio Amaral Dos Santos Guterres, National Director of Aquaculture, referring to the government’s National Aquaculture Development Strategy (2012-2030).

Access to fingerlings has been a major barrier to aquaculture development in Timor-Leste.

Despite five government hatcheries operating across the country, their combined output of less than 50,000 fingerlings annually was insufficient to meet growing farmer demand and the quality of the fingerlings was low.

In late 2015, the project refurbished and upgraded the government hatchery in Gleno, Emera, with improved technology to increase its production capacity.

Hatchery staff were trained in tilapia hatchery management and seed production, and broodstock of the fast-growing Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) was imported from WorldFish, Malaysia.

In the first four months of operations since relaunching in January 2016, the hatchery produced and distributed over 300,000 fingerlings of GIFT to over 500 farmers across 11 municipalities.

“The introduction of improved GIFT brood fish and hatchery technologies has significantly boosted the quantity and quality of fingerlings production and distribution in a very short time,” says Mr Adriano Dani Fernandes du Karmu, Hatchery Department Chief.

Fertilized eggs are collected in weekly intervals, incubated until they develop to fry stage and nursed in net enclosures known as hapas for six weeks until they are ready to be stocked in grow out ponds (3 -5 cm size fingerlings).

“Because of the improved access to quality fingerlings, communities have become enthusiastic about rearing fish, especially tilapia, which is well-suited to the growing conditions in Timor-Leste,” explains Acacio Guterres, Director General of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

“Through increased tilapia production, households can earn a higher income and access more nutritious foods, which is much needed in Timor-Leste because rates of malnourishment and poverty are high,” he adds.

A key aim of the hatchery is to maintain the genetic quality of broodstock, thereby ensuring that the inherent productivity gains of GIFT are preserved.

Currently, fingerlings are provided free of charge to any household with a fish pond, to support the growth of the burgeoning aquaculture industry. In the future, the National Directorate of Aquaculture is considering selling the fingerlings to farmers at a maximum of three cents per fingerling, with any profits reinvested into the hatchery for running costs and development.

To help farmers realize the on-farm benefits of GIFT, the project is providing modular training for one production cycle following a farmers’ field school (FFS) approach to households engaged in aquaculture in Ermera, Baucau and Bobonaro districts.

To help farmers’ find a bigger market for their surplus fish, the project has also started to establish relationships with local supermarkets, schools and prisons.

By encouraging households to grow and consume more fish in Timor-Leste, the project is helping combat malnutrition, improve food security, increase income and reduce poverty for poor and rural households.